By Dave Meltzer
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We're looking for your thoughts on UFC 163 as well as all four nights so far of the G-1 Climax tournament with a thumbs up, thumbs down and thumbs in the middle with a best and worst match as well as from all of the other first three G-1 shows at
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We're also looking for reports from Green Bay tonight from Raw with dark matches, Superstars matches and anything else not evident from the live show. Tonight's show is built around the return of Brock Lesnar, Daniel Bryan getting a corporate make over and angles for the rest of SummerSlam.

The new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter is on the web site today as well as a new back issue from 1996.

A look at the state of UFC on FOX with coverage of Saturday's show is our lead story. We talk about what the rating means, both the good and the bad, why the reaction should be different from a similar rating a year ago, but what it also says about the UFC brand value both good and bad.

We look at what each individual match did, how each match on prelims did, UFC's FOX baseline, the idea of booking FOX vs. booking PPV, comparisons of UFC on FOX with Strikeforce on CBS, why MMA ratings on individual shows have declined and the argument for moving everything to television, and if it's viable now and when it may be. We look at how UFC's PPV business has been so far this year as well as the direction of things.

We also have other business notes on the show, what went wrong and right on the show, match-by-match coverage, payoff records and poll results of both the show and the close decisions.

We also have a feature on the debut of Total Divas, real vs. fake, notes on the newcomers, what the ratings said for the first three showings, real names, how the characters come off and WrestleMania.

We also have notes on the death of Memphis announcer, promoter and wrestler Cory Maclin, his background, a couple of major lawsuits, running for political office, how he got into wrestling and more.

We also look at the future of Madison Square Garden, the bad week of Randy Orton, WWE injuries and scheduled comebacks, latest on SummerSlam, Thoughts on a Hall of Fame rumor, Jerry Lawler returning to the ring, Stacy Keibler talks her days in pro wrestling, Maria Kanellis' claim, War Games, Rock vs. Cena on TV, and notes on the Australia and South Africa tour between business and shows themselves.

We also have a big feature looking back at one of the most famous tag teams of the early 70s, The Mongols, with the death of Geto, Newton Tattrie this past week.

We look at Tattrie's life as a wrestler, trainer and promoter, the original Mongols with Nikolai Volkoff and the second Mongols with Bill Eadie. We look at his days as Sunk Man, how he first met Volkoff and got him into wrestling, the idea of The Mongols tag team, where they first started and their big run as WWWF International tag team champions as well as singles matches with Bruno Sammartino. We look at their biggest matches of the era and how they left the WWWF as a tag team having never lost their titles or a major match.

We look at Geto buying the Pittsburgh area circuit from Sammartino, The Mongols basing themselves out of Pittsburgh, Volkoff leaving the team and becoming a singles star, where Geto met Eadie and how the new team was formed. We look at the end of The Mongols in their champions vs. champions match with Gene & Ole Anderson, and his post-wrestling career.

We also have an in-depth look at the drug culture in sports, how this may affect UFC with the revelation that some MMA fighters are on the list of clients with Biogenesis, as well as looking at WWE's history with the issue, how WWE is handling testing, drugs that people are using to beat testing, the current state-of-the-art, the controversial Victor Conte and more.

The Wrestling Observer ranges weekly from 35,000 to 50,000 words covering pro wrestling and MMA internationally. Each issue has coverage and analysis of all the major news, plus every issue breaks major news stories before the Internet sties and has the most complete look at the pro wrestling and MMA business anywhere, plus history pieces available nowhere else.

The Observer is now in its 29th year of being the leading insider pro wrestling publication in the world. The biggest and most influential names in the pro wrestling and MMA industry, from bookers to promoters to Hall of Fame wrestlers and fighters to the biggest names on camera and behind the scenes, along with thousands of readers in all 50 states and more than 30 countries subscribe. Many have subscribed for 20 years or longer consecutively. They get the most detailed and inside coverage of what is going on all over the world. Everywhere from Wall Street to the major offices to television networks in the U.S. and Japan turn to the Observer for what is going on in the business.

If you are a new subscriber ordering 24 or more issues, you can get one free classic issue of your choice sent to you today. With a 40 issue subscription, you can get two free classic issues sent to you today. Just sent your Visa or Master Card order with your name, address, phone number, card number and expiration date to
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You can also subscribe via check, cash or money order, as well as credit card by mail, by sending to Wrestling Observer Newsletter, P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228.

We also have a look at the ratings of all the major shows as well as details of how every segment on Impact this past week did and what gained and lost viewers.

We also have results from all the major league arena events over the past week as well as a look at all the major television shows.

Also in this week's issue:

--Injury to top young star in Mexico and him not taking the time off recommended

--Notes on a tourney for the top mini in CMLL

--Latest from Arena Mexico this past week

--What local star was responsible for a legitimate sellout in Puebla

--A court case over the rights to one of the most valuable wrestling names in the world

--AAA star leaves promotion

--A look at Dragon Gate USA's weekend shows in New York

--All Japan bringing back the Open championship tournament and a look back at one of the greatest tournaments in pro wrestling history as far as top stars involved.

--Lots of new title matches

--A look at the ending of NOAH's junior heavyweight tag team tournament and upcoming title bouts

--More on the G-1 Climax series

--New Japan doing a tryout camp and what they are looking for

--New Japan stars coming to the U.S.

--An upcoming major pro wrestling documentary about to be released

--Update on New Jack

--A man threatening to kill a former WWF star

--Carlos Colon vs. Invader program continues

--Colon involved in a major news story in Puerto Rico

--Wrestler spending a month overseas doing comedy

--Update on Matt Morgan

--Notes regarding ROH tag title change

--New ROH TV markets expected

--What happened with the Kevin Steen DVD

--Major change in ROH's front office

--Update on status of a number of ROH wrestlers

--A look at the most recent ROH TV tapings

--Dixie Carter talks TNA's latest issues

--TNA and developmental

--Why Keiji Muto was in Nashville

--Taelor Hendrix again talks leaving TNA

--Update on Taryn Terrell

--Notes on next TNA PPV

--A look at TNA's weekend house shows

--More business notes on Silva vs. Weidman

--UFC's attempt to get into a foreign market they are strong on TV in and why it's being held up

--A look at this week's UFC show

--Dana White on Frank Shamrock in the UFC Hall of Fame

--New season of Ultimate Fighter notes

--New MMA rules being talked about

--Rousey and the movie and training for her next fight

--Lots of new UFC fights

--Major Bellator contract news

--Major Bellator firings

New subscribers ordering 24 or 40 issues have to let us know what major stories of the past 11 years you are most interested in and we'll send the issue with the best coverage of that story. We've got coverage of every major PPV event and world wide spectacular, every major star switching promotions, histories of companies like FMW, Rings and New Japan, retirement and obit issues of every major star who fits into those descriptions over the past 11 years, as well as our biggest issue every year, the annual awards issue, and our most controversial issue of every year, the Hall of Fame issue.

Our most requested issues in our history are:

*November 17, 1997 (full details of everything leading to the most famous wrestling match finish of modern times at the Survivor Series plus a history of in-ring double-crosses)

*December 21, 1998 (the complete Vince McMahon-Bret Hart conversation right before the Survivor Series match so you'll know exactly what was said--the conversation played in edited form both on the inaugural broadcast of Confidential as well as in Wrestling with Shadows, but everything that was said between the two about the match that was going to take place that same night)

*August 1, 1994 (the most detailed coverage anywhere of the Vince McMahon steroid trial, an issue praised in numerous newspaper article and Sex, Lies and Headlocks)

*March 26, 2001 (death of WCW and history of pro wrestling on the Turner networks)

*October 22, 2001 (why the adult audience has left pro wrestling in such great numbers and what needed to have been done to save them)

*April 21, 2003 (history of WWF continues with the expansion nationally, the death of the regional territories and the rise of Hulk Hogan)

*May 12, 2003 (The life and death of Elizabeth and the rise of fall of Lex Luger)

*June 9, 2003 (Part 1 of history of WWF vs. WCW wars and what many say was the greatest year in U.S. wrestling; plus a look at Fred Blassie)

*June 16, 2003 (Freddie Blassie through the eyes of his biggest rivals and friends)

*July 28, 2003 (Part 2 of the history of the WWF vs. WCW war and the plans to make new superstars in the early 90s, what happened, and the night where the three biggest wrestling companies in the world combined for a joint show and what happened)

*August 25, 2003 (2003 Hall of Fame issue with huge profiles on the controversial career of Shawn Michaels, Chris Benoit as well as historical features on Earl Caddock and Francisco Flores)

*September 22, 2003 (Part 3 of the history of the WWF vs WCW war with the seeds that caused the collapse of the industry in the 90s, Zahorian trial, Gulf War controversy, Flair leaves WCW while holding world title and much more)

*October 27, 2003 (The fascinating life of Stu Hart plus the story of Road Warrior Hawk)

*February 23, 2004 (History of Guerrero family with Eddy's win over Brock Lesnar)

*March 1, 2004 (History of WWF continues with the period that brought the company down in early 1992, the mistakes, the real stories and how the business changed)

*March 8, 2004 (History of Wrestlemania, its greatest matches and best and worst shows as voted both by wrestlers and non-wrestlers and Wrestlemania history books)

*July 5, 2004 (A look behind the scenes and Ric Flair's book and his background with Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan)

*July 12, 2004 (A look at more on Ric Flair's book and his comments on Bruno Sammartino, Bret Hart and Mick Foley)

*August 16, 2004 (History of the Olympians in pro wrestling)

*August 23, 2004 (2004 Hall of Fame issue and biggest issue of the year with huge profiles on Kazushi Sakuraba, Undertaker, Bob Backlund, Masahiro Chono, Ultimo Dragon, Kurt Angle and Tarzan Lopez--this counts as one issue if you are asking for a free issue, but ordered separately, due to size, is $6 in North America and $7 overseas)

*October 4, 2004 (the life and times of Big Bossman; as well as details of the life and times of one of the most influential men world wide in pro wrestling history, Jim Barnett)

*November 15, 2004 (the full story of what happened between Kurt Angle and Daniel Puder, plus coverage of the most important week in the history of TNA)

*January 24, 2005 (2004 Awards issue, Rock and WWE part company)

*March 14, 2005 (the 50 biggest money players in the history of WWF and a look at their Hall of Fame)

*May 9, 2005 (the life and times of Chris Candido)

*June 20, 2005 (The full story behind Paul Heyman and the death of ECW, as well as coverage of One Night Stand, Hardcore Homecoming and behind the scenes of both shows)

*July 18, 2005 (death of Shinya Hashimoto and his records with a look at the fall of New Japan, the Matt Hardy angle, tons of WWE firings, Cornette firing in detail as well as problems of a WWE developmental territory in our biggest news issue of the year which is a double-sized issue and would be $6 on its own and $7 overseas)

*January 9, 2006 (The life and times of Superstar Billy Graham, plus New Year's Eve 2005 coverage)

*January 16, 2006 (2005 Awards double issue, $6 or $7 overseas)

*April 3, 2006 (Story of Ann Calvello and the history of Roller Derby--many called this the best issue of the Observer ever)

*April 10, 2006 (Behind the scenes at the 2006 Wrestlemania/Hall of Fame week)

*July 24, 2006 (The History of the Von Erichs and World Class Championship Wrestling--the most unreal story ever in wrestling)

*September 4, 2006 (The Rise and Fall of Kurt Angle; 2006 Hall of Fame inductions of Eddie Guerrero, Paul Bowser, Masakatsu Funaki, Aja Kong and Hiroshi Hase including tons of wrestling history around the world from the 20s through the 60s, the evolution of working to not working in Japan, and a look at Guerrero in hindsight, double issue $6 or $7 overseas)

*October 9, 2006 (A look back nine years later at the life and legacy of Brian Pillman with tons of inside information about what made him tick as his real objectives)

*November 15, 2006 (History of WCW part one, Eric Bischoff's book and how the industry was changed forever)

*November 27, 2006 (History of WCW part three, When Bischoff challenged McMahon to fight; Truth and fiction around Bret Hart signing with WCW and why it didn't click)

*December 6, 2006 (details behind Pride's offers to sell promotion and Part four of History of WCW part four, Hogan-Goldberg match and why there was no rematch, WCW loses NBC network deal in 1999 and the real reasons the company fell apart)

*August 11, 2008 (Ric Flair leaves WWE; Updated history of pro wrestlers and MMA fighters who went to the Olympics)

* September 8, 2008 (2008 Hall of Fame double issue, $7 on its own, $8 overseas; part one of Killer Kowalski bio)

* September 15, 2008 (Life and Times of Evan Tanner)

* September 22, 2008 (The amazing career of Killer Kowalski, one of our most in-depth bios)

You can also order any of these issues on their own for $4 in North America or $5 overseas.

Rates are:

For the United States, it is $13 for 4 issues, $32 for 12, $61 for 24, $101 for 40 and $131 for 52. In Canada and Mexico, rates are $14.50 for 4, $35 for 12, $67 for 24, $111 for 40 and $144 or 52. In Europe, you can get the fastest delivery and best rates by sending to
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For the rest of the world, rates are $16.50 for 4, $44 for 12, $85 for 24, $141 for 40 issues and $183 for 52 .

If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order (P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228), you can get $1 off in every price range.

We now have available personally autographed copies of Tributes II, our latest book, as well as a DVD that comes with it talking more about the subjects in the book. The book covers the life stories of Lou Thesz, Wahoo McDaniel, Elizabeth, Fred Blassie, Road Warrior Hawk, Andre the Giant, Curt Hennig, Johnny Valentine, Davey Boy Smith, Terry Gordy, Owen Hart, Stu Hart, Gorilla Monsoon, The Sheik and Tim Woods..

To get all of those biographies as back issues of the Observer would be a $60 value today. This is a collection of some of the best Observer articles of the past several years in a hardcover, full-color format that is 239 pages. There is also a foreword by Bret Hart. The book price is $12.95 plus $3.50 for shipping costs in the U.S., $10 for shipping costs to Canada and $12 for shipping costs outside North America. You can order the book the same way you order the newsletter.

Monday's News Update

--Bryan and I will be back tonight talking Raw, G-1, Rampage vs. Tito, Dutch Savage as well as taking your e-mail questions that can be sent to
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--Mike Sempervive and I have a one hour nothing but e-mail questions answered show up on the site right now.

--Bellator held a press conference today for its 11/2 PPV debut headlined by Rampage Jackson vs. Tito Ortiz. Bjorn Rebney noted that there will likely be five fights, with plenty of five round title fights but he didn't commit to any specific one. There will plenty of knocks at the other organization. Jackson said he really was going to box Roy Jones Jr., but then when Bellator signed Tito Ortiz in mid-July, it changed. Rebney said that all of Viacom, Spike, CMT, MTV, Comedy Central, will all be promoting and that TNA has a storyline in place to aid in the promotion of the fight. He hinted at something at Bound for Glory but just said to tune in. Jackson and Ortiz both put over being big wrestling fans with Ortiz saying how Hulk Hogan was his idol. A key note is that Ortiz had reconstructive knee surgery to put in a replacement ACL 12 weeks ago. That was scary. It'll be priced from $34.95 to $44.95, depending on the market.

--The UFC's show on 10/19 in Houston at the Toyota Center is already announced as sold out. That's the Cain Velasquez vs. Junior Dos Santos show. Keep in mind that UFC announces sellouts at 95% or so, so there may be some tickets left but given that they were just put on sale a few days ago, it's a good sign.

--WWE has hired Michele Martell as the new Vice President of Kids Entertainment. She came from SD Entertainment where she headed up acquisition strategy and execution for entertainment products aimed at kids.

--Mick Foley will be playing Sunday in Milwaukee at the Miramar Theater at 7 p.m. He'll be in Chicago on Thursday at Zane's Comedy Night Club.

--John Cena vs. Alberto Del Rio is the announced main event for tonight, most likely a dark match. For tomorrow in Rockford, the dark match is The Shield vs Randy Orton & Sheamus & Rob Van Dam.

--Brooke Mangum and Michelle Schexnayder of the USA Network show "Summer Camp" will be on Raw tonight. That show is doing poorly in the ratings so you know how that goes, WWE has to be the good partner.

--Booker T's Reality of Wrestling show on Saturday night in Houston at the Clear Lake Rec Center will be taped by Ch. 39 in Houston, which was the station that aired Houston Wrestling in the 70s and 80s.

--Premier Wrestling on 9/29 in Gilroy, CA headlined by former Olympian Jeff Cobb (2-0) vs. Brian Tannen (2-0) at the 9 Lives Club. Tickers are only $10 if you buy them on-line at www.premierwrestle.com and $15 at the door. The show is at 5 p.m. so you get out in time for dinner. I think a bunch of us are going to Gilroy that night to go to wrestling and try and find the sushi place that I ate at there last week.

--Traditional Championship Wrestling on 9/6 in Nashville at the Nashville Fairgrounds Sports Arena as part of the state fair has Doug Gilbert vs. Tommy Dreamer in a street fight, plus Ricky Morton, Robert Gibson, Tracy Smothers, Mr. Wrestling III, Dan Severn, Cerebus (Wolfie D) and a main event of Rob Conway vs. Lance Archer.

--A series of shows headlined by Ric Flair take place this weekend for Big Time Wrestling. 8/9 in Keyser, WV is a show with Flair, Terry Funk, Mickie James, Carlito, Reby Sky, Matt Hardy and more. On 8/10 in Altoona, Flair will be there with Funk, Mickie James, Matt Hardy, Reby Sky, Carlito and Shane Douglas. The same crew, along with Chris Masters, are advertised for 8/11 in Belle Vernon, PA. 8/13 in Gaithersburg, MD they run at the Montgomery County Ag Fair with Hardy vs. Masters, Carlito vs. Douglas, James vs. Reby Sky and Jim Duggan & The Patriot vs. Russian Hammers.

--A story on Bruce Bellocchi, a con man who has boxed, promoted MMA, and a story tracing him including defrauding Rick Bassman in 2008 and leaving him broke is at http://www.sun-sentienel.com/news/palm-beach/fl-ground-and-pound-20130803,0,7217052.story His latest thing was opening up a restaurant called "Ground and Pound" with an MMA theme, and waitresses dressed as ring girls, in Boynton Beach, FL. You don't have to ask how that turned out.

--The Kenny Florian vs. Takanori Gomi fight night airs on Fuel tonight at 8 p.m., Josh Koscheck vs. Anthony Johnson at 10 p.m. and UFC 92 (Forrest Griffin vs. Rashad Evans) at 11 p.m. Fuel is about to turn into FS 2 with apparently little fanfare. And there will be plenty of UFC content on the station. The stories that all UFC programming will be on FS 1 just isn't the case, but the key programming will be on there.

--On UFC predictions, me, Josh Nason, Mike Sawyer and Todd Martin all went 4-1. Oliver Copp and Mike Sempervive went 3-2. I'd complain about Machida vs. Davis, but I've been the beneficiary this year in more bad decisions than the victim.

--A correction from yesterday. Phil Davis is not the first American to go 2-0 in Brazil. He's the second. Nik Lentz is the first (thanks to William Gregory, Rob Harvey and others)

--TODAY IN PRO WRESTLING HISTORY (thanks to Graeme Cameron and Brian Hoops)

1996 - Great Sasuke beat Ultimo Dragon in Tokyo to become the first J Cup Champion at Sumo Hall. This meant Sasuke won eight different jr. titles. This was part of G-1 and what an awesome week of wrestling that was

--We missed this one yesterday, but on 8/4/62 in Detroit, Lord Athol Layton beat Dick the Bruiser to win that area's version of the U.S. title (thanks to Drew Murphy)

--Larry Matysik and Rocky Johnson will be talking St. Louis Wrestling on Wednesday at 11 a.m. on WBGZ radio 1570 AM in St. Louis.

--Ken Patera will be appearing on Sports AM 920 in St. Louis with Frank Cusmano on Thursday at 11 a.m.

--Future Stars of Wrestling on 8/11 at Sam's Town in Las Vegas with an eight-man tournament that will crown the new Elite Champion, with Paul London, Kenny King, Tony Nese, Brian Cage plus an Iron Man match and an elimination match.

--Wrestling Rampage Superstars of Wrestling on 10/12 in Gloucester, UK at the Gloucester Leisure Centre headlined by former WCW wrestler PN News and Roy & Zac Knight (brothers of Page) plus Luke Hawx, billed as coming from WWE. Marty Jones will be making a guest appearance.

--Former Showcase Pro Wrestling champion Niko Caprale, 26, will be featured on Shark Week Tonight on the Discovery Channel. Caprale and his father spent four weeks with a film crew working with great white sharks off the coast of Chatham. (thanks to Bob Magee)

--Justin Gabriel of WWE will also be appearing on a Shark week show called Shark After Dark.

--Funkdafied Wrestling on Friday night in Long Branch, NJ at the Holy Trinity Church features Robbie E and Balls Mahoney, plus there will be a doors, ladders and chairs match.

--David Maus, an auto dealer in Central Florida has a commercial with both Haku and Ricky Santana. It shows the two of them getting into an argument on a golf course.